We shine a spotlight on the Australian franchise industry in today’s daily briefing.
Mary Aldred, CEO of the Franchise Council of Australia, talks COVID-19’s effect on the Aussie market
Global Franchise got the opportunity to speak with Mary Aldred, CEO of the FCA, about how the Australian franchise market is responding to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, and what her organization is doing to support those most strongly impacted.
“The unprecedented business restrictions and social distancing measures implemented to combat the spread of COVID-19 have left many businesses unable to trade or needing to make a significant change to their business model to survive,” said Aldred. “The FCA has been absolutely focused on providing practical support for all our members through this period.”
“The first few weeks have been like a rollercoaster”
Natasha Morgan, founder and CEO of My Home Watch, recently spoke with Global Franchise about how her popular property care franchise is adapting to the ongoing challenges of COVID-19, and what she believes the future of the franchise industry will look like – both in the brand’s home of Australia, and for the wider world.
“For franchise operations, I see the new health, hygiene, and safety regulations remaining extremely high. This is the new normal way of operating, and we all have a duty of care,” said Morgan. “Exploration seems like the direction top franchise leaders are taking at the moment.”
Currently operating in Australia, My Home Watch has plans to soon expand to the U.S., and has earmarked New Zealand and South Africa for further growth.
Synergy HomeCare expands executive team aligned with ongoing growth plan
One of North America’s leading in-home care franchisors, Synergy HomeCare, has expanded its executive team with existing talent, and has brought a franchising veteran on-board to drive further growth. Peter Tourian, the founder of Synergy HomeCare, has been named executive chairman, while Charlie Young is now CEO.
Tourian founded the concept in 1999, and began franchising in 2005. Since then, Synergy HomeCare has expanded to 338 markets, which is a 194 per cent increase since 2010. Young, meanwhile, has worked in several executive roles over his career, including the president and CEO of Coldwell Banker Real Estate, and the president and CEO of ERA Franchise Systems.
“Home care is a noble profession, where the opportunity to grow and provide outstanding care and service go hand-in-hand. Synergy is a leading brand that is poised for explosive growth and I’m looking forward to enhancing our presence, working with Peter and the incredible team of franchisees,” said Young.
Titus Center for Franchising to host Zoom conference on virtual discovery days
As part an ongoing series of virtual conferences focusing on specific aspects of the franchising world, the Titus Center for Franchising will be hosting a session titled ‘Best Practices: Virtual Franchise Discovery Days’.
In the current landscape, where in-person meet-and-greets are ill-advised, many franchise brands are taking things online. If handled correctly, this can still result in an engaging and informative session that will generate leads and lay seeds for franchise development.
Featuring the insight of Ray Titus, founder and CEO of United Franchise Group, and Ryan Zink, co-founder and CEO of Franchise FastLane, the session is set to be held on Thursday April 16, 10:30am EST. The Titus Center for Franchising’s previous conferences, including ‘How to Get Your Piece of the CARES Act?’, can be found here.
